Friday, September 19, 2008

Diane Schroer Wins Landmark Trans Discrimination Suit

Diane Schroer (pictured), a highly decorated military veteran who was hired by the Library of Congress, and then had her job offer rescinded after informing them of her plan to transition before beginning work, has won a landmark victory in United States District Court.

In a ruling issued today, Judge James Robertson found that Schroer had been unfairly discriminated against because of her gender . . . and, more precisely, on the basis that her offer of employment was withdrawn after she revealed that she was going to transition genders.

"In refusing to hire Diane Schroer because her appearance and background did not comport with the decisionmaker's sex stereotypes about how men and women should act and appear, and in response to Schroer's decision to transition, legally, culturally, and physically, from male to female, the Library of Congress violated Title VII's prohibition on sex discrimination," Judge Robertson wrote in his opinion.

Judge Robertson's ruling is especially significant because it finds that Title VII, which protects against gender discrimination, also provides protection for transgender individuals like Diane as well.